Contents

Summer is upon us, and spring's hope is withering beneath a brutal sun's uncaring gaze. And while Android apps can't change the weather (though some can predict the weather) that doesn't mean that some new apps might make you feel just a little cooler out there.

Of course, with nearly 1.5 million apps bouncing around inside Google Play, finding a good app to refresh your phone or fill out a brand new Android can be daunting. That's why we've put together this list of the best Android apps. Here, you'll find a little bit of everything: finance, storage, photo editing, and digital security. But you won't find any games in this hallowed hall of Android perfection. That's not because we don't like mobile games. Quite the contrary. We love mobile games so much we went and made a separate list for the best Android games. You're welcome.

The Best? Well, maybe not the best. Or at least not all of the best apps. Google Play is simply too dynamic and vibrant a marketplace for us to list every single great app. Think of this as more of a snapshot, a look at what we think is the best right now based off our reviews and hands-on experience with Android apps.

To my mind, the best Android apps excel in two areas: excellence and elegance. An excellent app provides something that no other app can. It's the only way to search photos, or find out where your personal information is going. An elegant app may not be the most original app, but the way it accomplishes something makes it a joy to use.

This App Is Stale While 100 apps is a far more manageable slice of the estimated 1.43 million titles in the Google Play store, it's still a challenge to keep current. We update the list frequently to keep it from being overrun with broken and unhip apps. Hopefully, the next time you read this, there will be some new gems for you to discover.

With this list, we also strive to give you choice. There are, for example, at least three excellent services for storing your files on the cloud that we include in this list. But each has different pricing, features, and appearance. You're sure to find something that works for you from our list.

Hey, You Missed Something! Despite our best efforts, we're only human and cannot comprehend the totality of the Google Play store. So we rely on our humble judgment and your feedback. If we missed something, or you have a recommendation, be sure to drop us a line in the comment section. If you're looking for something more specific, we have other lists highlighting critical free Android apps, the best messaging apps, and the top Android antivirus apps.

And without further ado, the best Android apps!

Communication and Social

Plain ol' SMS and voice calls just don't cut it anymore. These apps help you keep in touch with the most important people in your life, all from your handy Android.

Free This unique app is for those dangerous situations when you need to quickly (and discreetly) get help from your friends. Two quick taps sends one of three pre-written text messages to as many as six of your contacts. One message sends your GPS location and a request to be picked up, while another asks your friends to quickly get in touch with you. The app also includes links to the RAINN and Love is Respect hotlines.

Free The problem with most mobile messengers is convincing your friends to sign up. But odds are, most people you know are already on Facebook. Which is handy, because the Facebook Messenger app is fantastic. Simple, clean, and capable of sending video, it's a great little messenger. And stickers. Don't forget the amazing stickers.

Free Google Talk is dead, long live Google Hangouts! This app can not only send instant messages to other Google users, but it can also do video chatting for free. Users lucky enough to have Android 4.4 can also use it manage their SMS messages, and Google+ users can enjoy video conference calls with up to 12 participants.

Free Sure, there are plenty of ways to fire off a 140-character Tweet, but users looking for more control should consider Plume. This powerful Android Twitter client lets you change all sorts of settings, right down to the LED color used to alert you of a message. My favorite feature is muting, which lets you suppress users, and even specific words, from your timeline.

Free The companion to TextSecure, this handy app lets you make encrypted calls over the developer's secure VoIP network to other TextSecure users. I particularly like that it works with your existing dialer and phone number, alerting you when another RedPhone user is on the line and the call can be encrypted. If all those PRISM and NSA headlines have you worried, be sure to give this app a try.

Free If you're worried about the NSA or anyone else peeking at your text messages, consider TextSecure. Messages sent to other TextSecure users are encrypted over the air, but the app will also encrypt all of your text messages when they're at rest on your phone to keep them away from prying eyes. We first reviewed the app when it was in Beta, but it's since had a full version release and is ready for prime time.

Free Streaming live video used to be challenging on a desktop computer and dang near impossible on a mobile device. But apps like Meerkat and Periscope changed all that. Periscope has Twitter's blessing, and lets you share video and chat with other users with ease. Best of all, it saves your Periscopes for later viewing.

99 cents per year In a world of messenger apps WhatsApp is among the most successful, boasting an enormous and dedicated user base. Recently, this app got bolstered by encrypted messaging provided by the minds behind TextSecure. Could this be the secure, easy-to-use messenger we've been waiting for? We'll have to bring it into the labs and find out.

FreeSometimes the most secure message is one that simply doesn't exist. That's the thinking behind Wickr, a fully encrypted, secure messaging service that even handles media messages. The twist is that you set a lifespan for each message, ensuring that your private messages stay private. And, if you doubt their security chops, here's what the company's founder told the FBI when they asked for a backdoor.

Entertainment

Keeping your favorite movies, music, and everything else with you at all times.

Free Filled with both up-and-coming and established acts, Bandcamp is one of the most exciting music marketplaces today. Their app is still a bit disappointing, shirking music discovery and purchasing but recently adding a weird social network-ish feature. But it does one cool thing—instant streaming of your Bandcamp purchases. That alone makes this app a keeper.

Free If you're an audio nerd or just prefer to have a lot more control over your music collection, take a look at DeaDBeeF. This sprawling app supports mp3, ogg, aac/mp4, alac/mp4, flac, ape, wv, wav, tta, mpc, sid, mod, s3m, nsf and more. There's also a 10-band equalizer so you can get your tunes sounding just so. Perfect for all of those live recordings of Steely Dan concerts you've been hoarding.

Free, subscription required If you can't wait for a TV show to end up on Netflix, Hulu Plus is the way to go. Search or browse through the available shows, or subscribe to on-air shows to see them right away. Many of the shows, like The Simpsons, are available online exclusively through Hulu. The service also features high-quality movies, like the entire Criterion Collection.

Free, subscription fees for streaming Netflix streaming has quickly become a staple of modern existence, and the premiere movie and TV watching service looks great on Android. Though the stable of content isn't always, ah, stable, the selection is enormous. You can also stream video from the app to your TV through Google Chromecast.

$20 Have you ever needed (I mean, really needed) to catch your favorite show but found yourself nowhere near a TV? Technology is finally here to solve the problem with Sling TV, an inexpensive service that lets you watch live TV on any Android device. Get ready to cut the cord and kick cable out of your life.

Free, optional subscription Slacker takes a unique twist on the mobile streaming format by offering much more than just music and music discovery. It'll connect you with your favorite tracks, but you can also browse its enormous collection of human-curated playlists for every occasion—like Yacht Rock. It also has an extensive catalog of radio talk shows, sports, and comedy series. Whatever you want to listen to, Slacker probably has it.

Free Songkick is the bridge between the music in your digital collection and concerts in your area. Once installed, Songkick scans your device and lets you see when and where your favorite artists are playing. If you see a show you're interested in, you can also purchase tickets all from within the app. Add multiple locations to Songkick to catch concerts when you're on the road.

Free With its huge inventory of music, Spotify has become a mainstay for free, legal music streaming. A recent pricing shuffle brings free mobile Pandora-esque streaming, and a paid subscription will nab you on-demand service and Led Zepplin. My favorite feature is close ties with artists who release new albums on the service the same day they hit the shelves in record shops. Those still exist, right?

Max Eddy is a Junior Software Analyst investigating the latest and greatest apps for Android. Paranoid by nature, he's also keeping an eye on emerging threats and countermeasures at SecurityWatch with Neil Rubenking and Fahmida Rashid.
Prior to PCMag, Max wrote for the International Digital Times, The International Science Times, and Geekosystem.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @wmaxeddy, or via email at max_eddy@pcmag.com.
More »

Automatic Renewal Program: Your subscription will continue without interruption for as long as you wish, unless
you instruct us otherwise. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the term unless you authorize
cancellation. Each year, you'll receive a notice and you authorize that your credit/debit card will be charged the
annual subscription rate(s). You may cancel at any time during your subscription and receive a full refund on all
unsent issues. If your credit/debit card or other billing method can not be charged, we will bill you directly instead. Contact Customer Service